re: OT 5k Runners (Running Times)

quote:

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I promise you, this isn't the average for your local 5k run

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You are certainly correct when you factor in all of the middle-aged, overweight, and elderly individuals, who participate in these events as part of a social gathering rather than a physical competition used to test their overall aerobic conditioning.

However, for someone that is well-conditioned and runs regularly I say that the above time is most certainly averages. I'm specifically labeling these times based on peak performance attainable by the individual.

The reason why you see so many subpar times with 5k participants is due to a myriad of dietary and conditioning issues, such as:
-Caloric surplus in daily diet
-Reliance on simple carbs rather than complex carbs to fuel aerobic activities
-Lack of more endurance-intensive workouts (e.g. 5+ mile runs)
-Lack of weekly training volume
-Lack of sprint/speed work
-Lack of rest
-Inability or unwillingness to push themselves during physical exertion